220 A SPORTING PARADISE 



we were on the point of departure, when the dog 

 became much excited and set to barking furiously 

 under a large maple. In vain we looked, for no 

 partridge was to be seen ; still the dog barked 

 and began to bite and tear at the tree, when at 

 length three birds were discovered standing motion- 

 less on the moss-covered boughs, and within a 

 few yards of us. The owner informed me that 

 whenever the creature lost patience, and took to 

 biting objects around a tree, it was a sure sign 

 that there were birds on the branches, and that 

 he seldom left the lumber and logging paths in 

 search of them until he heard the bark." 



According to Sir John Richardson, all the 

 thick and swampy black-spruce forests between 

 Canada and the Arctic Sea abound with this bird, 

 and considerable numbers exist in the severest 

 seasons as high as the 6yth parallel. 



Partridge-shooting commences about the second 

 week in September, and concludes on the ist day 

 of January. The game laws are continually being 

 modified. 



Mr. Long, in his chapter " The Partridges' 

 Roll Call," has given me a new suggestion, viz., 

 " If the mother bird is killed by owl, or hawk, or 

 weasel, the flock still holds together while berries 



